Fashion Reader: Vestoj

The Fashion Reader is a series where I explore the books that have influenced, inspired and intrigued me. I share stories about writers who have provided that creative spark, those who have shaped my beliefs and those who have simply been a pleasure to read. With some, the link to fashion will be obvious, with others, the relevance to women in fashion might be more subtle. Either way, I hope you enjoy reading…

I received an early Christmas present this week when a the latest issue of Vestoj arrived on my desk, fresh back from the printers.

This years’s theme is failure, which I thought was really interesting. The journal discusses whether failure is acceptable or even possible nowadays with so much commercial focus on the fashion industry. Mistakes and failures are vital parts of the creative process, as Joyce once said, they are the “portals of discovery”.

The issue of failure I think has become more pertinent lately, after Alber Elbaz and Raf Simons’ departures, both citing the time-pressures and financial constraints on their creativity as reasons behind their parting with the brands. Is there any chance to get things wrong and experiment anymore? If not, what does that mean for our industry?

I would really recommend reading the Editor, Anja Cronberg’s introduction to the issue here. I know I am certainly taking it with me for some Christmas reading!